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Hezbollah sees ceasefire progress while Lebanon denies contact with Israel

Smoke rises over a residential area following the Israeli attack on Beirut, Lebanon, on April 8, 2026. (AA Photo)
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Smoke rises over a residential area following the Israeli attack on Beirut, Lebanon, on April 8, 2026. (AA Photo)
April 16, 2026 10:00 AM GMT+03:00

A senior Hezbollah official told NBC News Thursday that momentum is building toward a potential ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah that could be agreed as early as Thursday evening.

Lebanon has no information on expected contact with Israel, an official source tells Türkiye's state-run Anadolu Agency (AA).

Israel's security cabinet convened to discuss the proposal, while Lebanon said it was "not aware" of any planned contact with the Israeli side, despite Trump's Truth Social post claiming the two countries' leaders would speak on Thursday.

An Israeli self-propelled howitzer artillery gun fires rounds towards southern Lebanon from a position in the Upper Galilee in northern Israel near the border, April 15, 2026. (AFP Photo)
An Israeli self-propelled howitzer artillery gun fires rounds towards southern Lebanon from a position in the Upper Galilee in northern Israel near the border, April 15, 2026. (AFP Photo)

Hezbollah: 'Momentum building, outcomes expected in coming hours'

A senior Hezbollah official told NBC News that developments in recent hours had driven momentum toward a ceasefire.

"Discussions over the agreement are ongoing, with progress tied to the Israeli position," the official said, expressing restrained optimism that the conflict could reach a negotiated settlement as early as Thursday evening.

"Israel is currently reviewing the matter and has yet to announce any formal commitment. Outcomes are expected in the coming hours," he said.

The official made clear that Hezbollah's agreement was conditional.

"If Israel is fully committed to a complete cessation of hostilities without allowing Israel to exercise what it refers to as 'freedom of action' ... then this matter would be subject to consideration by Hezbollah," he said.

"Israel's continued presence in parts of Lebanon remained a key issue," he added.

He also described Iran's role, stating that "Iran's insistence on including Lebanon in the agreement resulted in sparing the southern suburbs and the capital, Beirut," referring to a reduction in strikes against the Hezbollah stronghold of Dahiyeh.

The official said he expected Israel would "find it difficult to reject Trump's request for a ceasefire, particularly if it is limited to one week."

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio (C) delivers remarks alongside Counselor of U.S. State Department Michael Needham (L) and U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon Michel Issa (R) during working-level peace talks, April 14, 2026 in Washington, DC. (AFP Photo)
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio (C) delivers remarks alongside Counselor of U.S. State Department Michael Needham (L) and U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon Michel Issa (R) during working-level peace talks, April 14, 2026 in Washington, DC. (AFP Photo)

Lebanon: 'We are not aware of any planned contact with the Israeli side'

An official Lebanese source told Agence France-Presse (AFP) that Beirut had not been informed through official channels of any upcoming contact with Israel.

"We are not aware of any planned contact with the Israeli side, and we have not been informed of any through official channels," the source said.

The statement came after Trump posted on Truth Social that Washington was "trying to get a little breathing room between Israel and Lebanon" and that the two leaders had not spoken "like 34 years" and that it "will happen tomorrow."

A sanitation worker rests in the shade of a building near an unofficial camp for displaced people in Beirut's waterfront area on April 14, 2026. (AFP Photo)
A sanitation worker rests in the shade of a building near an unofficial camp for displaced people in Beirut's waterfront area on April 14, 2026. (AFP Photo)

US: No demand for immediate ceasefire, but would welcome end to hostilities

A senior U.S. administration official told NBC News that the U.S. has not demanded a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah.

"This is not something we have asked for, nor is it part of the peace negotiations with Iran, but the president would welcome the end of hostilities in Lebanon as part of a peace agreement between Israel and Lebanon," the official said.

The official said Washington did not demand an immediate ceasefire but wanted "a durable peace." The U.S. focus, the official said, was on "building trust between the two governments so that we can create space for a peace deal and so that any future understandings can be durable. Both sides need to build political momentum."

Hezbollah fired rockets at Israel in early March in solidarity with Iran following the Feb. 28 U.S.-Israeli offensive on Iran.

Israel retaliated with attacks across Lebanon that have killed more than 2,000 people since March 2. Twenty-three people have been killed in Israel since the war started.

April 16, 2026 10:00 AM GMT+03:00
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